Feasting through ROME - A Short (Foodie) Guide to Rome
Hello there, fellow food travelers,
Last week, I have been to Rome for the very first time. My sister went alongside, to see the beautiful capital of Italy. And man, I was excited.
The trip was short (3 days) but sweeter, than expected. We had a good time, with delicious food, a wonderful place to stay and some of the most exceptional old town I have seen so far.
So I felt, like making a little guide for all of you people, who plan to go to Rome in the nearby future or someday. I guess, Its always nice to have someone tell you about their personal experience, especially when choosing where to eat, because three days are not that long and there are just too many options.
I wanted to make this post light and simple. So here are a few locations I went to and would recommend to you:
My go to way is staying in an Airbnb. We found a real treasure. A little house in the midst of a stone garden, with lemon trees dispensing shadow from the strong autumn sun. I fell in love with my hosts dog. She was such a sweetheart and so was her dog. So my tip, check out Airbnb and search for somewhere nearby a tram station. This way, it´ll be a stones throw into the city center.
The transportation
We came by plane to the airport Fiumicino. From there, take the Leonadro Express to the center (costs about 15€).
Inside, use the tram or the subway (we used the tram and bought a 72h ticket for 18€, but there is another option, to take single tickets which will last for a 100min. ride, for 1,50€
The creamiest Gelato
Fattori S.R.L. - Via Alberto da Giussano
A gelateria nearby our home, recommended by our truly charming host. The best Gelato I had in Rome. The selection is mixed. Some staples, like pistachio as well as more unknown flavors, like cream with dried dates. The prize is very good. 1€ per scoop.
Giolitti - Via degli Uffici del Vicario, 40
This is a filled up shop, to the top with tourists, as it is located nearby the Pantheon. Nevertheless, they have a big selection of creamy and fruity Gelato. I could recommend the cream with caramelized pear. It was by far the best flavor I tried and reasonable prized. 2,80€ for 3 scoops.
Gelateria La Romana – Via Cola di Rienzo 2
A tip from my sister. It is a little outside the touristic area, but rather close to the Vatican. The Gelato here is very creamy, soft and delightful. They have a small but refined selection of flavors, like chocolate, straciatella or cream with caramelized fruit. Add some chocolate inside the cone and some whipped cream on top, and you have a nice treat for a lunch break. 3 scoops cost around 3€.
All Settimo Gelo - Via Vodice, 21a/Via Aurelia, 452
A hidden treasure, found in a very helpful guide. Its outside of the touristic area, but the nice staff and delicious Gelato makes up for that. Our first impression: no tourists, just locals. The Gelato cost about 3€ for 3 scoops. My sister tried the whiskey and cream flavor and it was by far the best.Trattoria Da Enzo - Via dei Vascellari, 29Pizzeria da Remo – Piazza di Santa Maria Liberatrice 44Maccheroni - Piazza delle Coppelle, 44
The nicest Restaurants
Trattoria Da Enzo - Via dei Vascellari 29
Perfect place, for the first day of Rome. It is filled with both locals and tourists and has unbeatable prizes. The food was excellent. We had a lot of small dishes, like Fried Zucchini Flower and Arancini. The Pizza has a very thin crust and a generous amount of buffalo mozzarella on top. The staff was rather cold, but thats Ok, since I speak very little Italian. Nonetheless, I would recommend this place to anyone visiting Rome.
Pizzeria da Remo – Piazza di Santa Maria Liberatrice 44
Let me tell you, if I wait 50min to get into a restaurant, It better be good and It is. This was by far my favorite evening. The are is very beautiful (Travestere), the Trattoria is looking adorably vintage and the stuff is very nice and talkative. A staple to eat are definitely the Carbonara and Pasta Cacio e Pepe. Never had such amazing bacon in a pasta dish. The prizes are reasonable and I felt welcome, not like a tourist.
Maccheroni - Piazza delle Coppelle, 44
Not my favorite, but a very nice place nearby the pantheon. The staff is really nice but a bit hyper (in my opinion =)). The thing I would recommend anytime, would be the Ricotta filled Ravioli with creamy zucchini flower sauce. It has reasonable prices for the location and was overall a good diner, but not our favorite.
The worth visiting places
Colloseum in the evening
It is light up and looks like nothing, I have seen before. The light inside almost looks like its burning. You can just relax for a moment, after a long day of tourist spot hunting.
Villa Borghese and Park
A welcomed variety to the city life. Loads of green yard, pine trees and old buildings to search for. This would be nice place to jog or take your dog for a walk.
Forum Roman
It is huge and offers lots of hidden spots here and there. Just nice to walk through and search for the local parakeets, that peck the grenadine trees, until there is no single pit left on the tree. From the top, the city lies below your feet.
Trastevere
I am such a sucker for those kind of areas. There are art shops, restaurants and interesting places to find in every corner. A place to wander around and explore, without waking long distances.
The coziest Home
My go to way is staying in an Airbnb. A little house in the midst of a stone garden, with lemon trees dispensing shadow from the strong autumn sun. My host was such a sweetheart and so was her dog. My tip: check out Airbnb and search for somewhere nearby a tram station. This way, it´ll be a stones throw into the city center.
! Biggest Tip: Stay away from the touristic places. They are often too expensive and the food is much better in the more hidden locations.
Just search online for places to eat. I really enjoyed the book "Ein perfektes Wochenende in Rom" a lot. It has many places and locations to eat, drink or stay. There are a few in this list above but many more to check out. I can recommend this book a lot.
For now, I hope you found this guide to be somewhat helpful. Enjoy your stay in this stunning city and breathe in some of that italian dolce vita, because it has been truly delicious.
Anyways, wishing you the best. See you on my next blog entry,
Until then, Ciao